SCRANTON, Pa.- The Juniata women's basketball team couldn't keep up in the second half as they lost at the University of Scranton, 78-50, Saturday afternoon at the John Long Center.
Steph Emert (Hoovesville, Pa. / North Star HS) kicked the ball to Haily Sherman (Marysville, Pa. / Susquenita HS) in the left corner, who drilled a three for the first bucket of the game. The Lady Royals scored the next four points, both on layups, before Averie Hess (Jersey Shore, Pa. / Jersey Shore HS) received the ball in the right corner from Sarah Betts (Hawk Run, Pa. / West Branch Area HS), and she swished a three to make it 6-4. Grace Long (Harrisburg, Pa. / Central Dauphin HS) converted from behind the line at the top of the key; Scranton answered with a three of their own before Hess nailed a one-dribble pull-up from the left wing for Juniata's first two-pointer of the game.
Long would make another three, and Dani Scipioni (Altoona, Pa. / Bishop Guilfoyle HS) drove left before finishing with her right hand to put JC up 16-10. Scranton pulled even again at 16 before a long offensive rebound gave JC the lead back. The Royals split a pair of foul shots with 22 seconds to go in the quarter; Cassie Mock (Martinsburg, Pa. / Central Martinsburg HS) grabbed the miss and went down the other way. Mock, who wound up with the ball in the left corner, found Emelie Nonemaker (Shippensburg, Pa. / Shippensburg Area Senior HS) on the right wing, and she swished a three to put the Eagles up four, 21-17 after one.
Juniata looked to be taking control in the opening three minutes of the second quarter as a 7-4 edge in scoring finished by another Scipioni layup made the score 28-21. Scranton went on a 7-0 run over the next three minutes to tie things at 28-28. Aleya Eisenberg (Newville, Pa. / Big Spring HS) made her first three of the season, and the seventh of the game for the Eagles as the hot shooting from three continued.
The Eagles nursed a narrow lead to the final 30 seconds before two Scranton foul shots put the Royals up by one, 33-32.
In the final seconds, as Scranton tried to bring the ball out of the backcourt, Betts poked the ball away and tossed it to an on-rushing Sherman who laid it in to put Juniata up 34-33.
Betts's ��defense results in her finding Sherman for two. JC up 34-33 at the half at Scranton #WingsUp #JCWBB #TakingFlight #LandmarkBBall #GoEagles pic.twitter.com/lMpMVOH5Tf
— Juniata Athletics (@JuniataEagles) January 8, 2022
Scranton scored the opening nine points of the third quarter and the Juniata offense never got going as the Royals outscored them 23-6. The hosts cruised through the fourth to hand Juniata their second conference loss of the year.
Scranton had a decisive edge on the glass, 57-33, and scoring in the paint, 26-12. Scranton also lived at the line, taking 33 foul shots to the Eagles eight.
Juniata returns to action at home to take on Goucher, Wednesday at 7:00.
